


Sweetest Lie

by xiuminsglasses



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - MAMA (Music Video), CBX, EXO CBX, Fluff, M/M, M/M/M, Men In Black AU, Mentioned Suho/Lay, Mild Angst, Mild Smut, OT3, Polyamory, Power (Music Video), genre typical violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 19:51:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12043059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiuminsglasses/pseuds/xiuminsglasses
Summary: “When we're kids, before we're taught how to think or what to believe, our hearts tell us there is something else out there.” - Laura, Men in Black IIAKA the MIB AU where Jongdae is an agent, Minseok is a detective, and Baekhyun is more than just the owner of a coffee shop.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from a quote in Men in Black III.
> 
> Any mistakes are all my own.

****

**Chapter 1  
** **Best of the Best of the Best**

 Jongdae remembers the night that he was approached by Kyungsoo to join the Men in Black.

He was just some kid out of university that really had no idea what he was doing with his life. He spent most of his time volunteering with activism groups, fighting for equal rights, and he worked part time at a bookstore not too far from the university.

Kyungsoo was a regular at the bookstore, often grabbing random history books, and came up to Jongdae after work one day and told him that aliens exist. Jongdae had laughed in his face, telling him he was crazy. _Aliens don’t exist, what the hell are you on about?_ Kyungsoo just gave him an unimpressed look before dragging him by his wrist to a local diner, where Jongdae became acquainted with a Parlaxian who liked to cook Korean food. When she revealed what she actually looked like, Jongdae screamed but didn’t run away. He looked between Kyungsoo and the Parlaxian and a toothy grin overtook his face.

_I want to know everything_ he told Kyungsoo.

The job wasn’t easy, Jongdae realized early on. He still had to go through an audition of sorts. He was entirely out of his comfort zone, going up against police officers, military members and even professional athletes. Each round of tests eliminating one of the others he was competing against. He asked Kyungsoo what would happen to the ones who didn’t make it and Kyungsoo’s answer was a reassuring shrug of the shoulders. Jongdae spent the night awake trying to decide if he was really up for being in some real life version of _Kingsman_.

He pushed on through and made the cut, though he wasn’t prepared for the amount of paperwork he’d have to do. Or the ridiculous amount of time he would spend running after aliens who think Earth is their damn playground or even worse, a place for them to blow up.

“You mean to tell me that the Hestarians are coming after Earth in a month because they think we have the Light of EXO?” Jongdae stares at Yixing who stands in front of everyone. Jongdae, Kyungsoo and Junmyeon all sit around the conference table in the uncomfortable chairs that has Jongdae feeling 55 instead of 25. Sehun stands next to Yixing, taking notes and handing Yixing random files. Yixing nods at Jongdae, annoyance clear on his face from telling the story twice. “What the fuck is the Light of EXO?”

“It’s a myth.” Everyone looks to Jongin in the back corner of the room, a puff of smoke disappearing behind him as he finishes teleporting into the space. Jongin looks to his brother Junmyeon, a tongue darting out across his lips. “I mean, that’s what the story even says. It’s just a myth.”

“That doesn’t really answer my question.”

Kyungsoo sighs, “Did you pay attention to anything they taught you in training.”

“The Light of EXO is a story we were told when we were kids,” Junmyeon speaks up. “It’s a powerful force that fights against the darkness, figuratively and literally. It’s supposed to be a symbol of hope for our people and lit the planet during eclipses so we could survive. But we never needed it after we developed artificial light. We didn’t need a Light for centuries and the Hestarians destroyed our planet trying to find it. I thought they gave up after everyone… after--excuse me.”

Junmyeon stops, his eyes watery as he stands up, and walks to the corner of the room away from everyone’s eyes. Yixing follows after, pulling Junmyeon into a hug where they speak in hushed tones, Yixing’s hand cradling Junmyeon’s face and thumbs swiping away the stray tears.

Jongdae looks to Kyungsoo who is glaring at him and shrugs in apology. He still has questions. “So why do the Hestarians think we have the Light of EXO?”

“Because we do.” Yixing hasn’t let go of Junmyeon just yet but Jongdae can see how Junmyeon tenses after Yixing says those three words.

“What?” Junmyeon pulls back from Yixing’s grasp, his brows scrunched as he examines Yixing’s face, “What do you mean you have the Light of EXO?”

“Well, we don’t personally have the Light here in MIB, as far as I know. But the Light is on Earth. Somewhere.”

All eyes are on Yixing now, expecting an explanation. Yixing sighs and runs a hand through his hair, the black strands losing their hold and starting to fall on his forehead. He looks younger this way, Jongdae thinks. Sometimes Jongdae forgets Yixing is only a year older than himself and thinks of how stressful this must be for him to run this entire agency. How he has run this entire agency since he was 24.

“You all remember when my father died, yes?” Everyone nods in affirmation as Yixing fiddles with the collar of Junmyeon’s shirt. “His last words to me were ‘Protect the Light.’ I didn’t know what that meant. The last 3 years I’ve been trying to figure it out. But he meant this. I don’t know anything else but I’ll dig through some of his personal files and see if I find anything, but I know he meant this.”

Yixing looks back at Junmyeon, brushing the last tear away from his cheek, “We’ll figure this out, Junnie.”

Yixing rarely uses their real names at work, trying to stay as professional as possible. Jongdae knows Junmyeon and Yixing share some form of bond that they’ll never publicly address, but this is the most open they’ve been about whatever is happening between them. Jongdae is used to running into Yixing in the hall of the apartment complex when he leaves Kyungsoo’s place, Yixing looking comfortable for once as he lets himself into Junmyeon’s apartment right next door, a small smile on his face as he waves to Jongdae. He’s seen Junmyeon comfort Yixing for years now. When Yixing’s father passed away and he was left to take over MIB, Junmyeon stayed at Yixing’s, a stable foundation for Yixing. But Yixing comforting Junmyeon is new. Junmyeon never shows weakness, always trying to be the best he can be especially when he's in front of his younger brother.

Jongdae relates a bit more with Junmyeon than he’ll ever verbalize.

“While Lay goes through his files, we can do some research on our own too. Detective Kim might have heard some rumblings.” Jongdae meets Kyungsoo’s eyes as he speaks, Kyungsoo trying to bring the topic back as Yixing and Junmyeon share their moment.

“Okay,” Yixing nods his head. “Kai, Chen, and D.O. will research what they can. I’ll have Oh help me in my research here. If you find anything, let me know. Check with Cy too, yeah? Maybe he’s heard something in passing at the club.”

Kyungsoo nods and makes a start for the door. Jongdae follows shortly after with Jongin and Junmyeon close behind.

“Is he even in his office right now? It’s kind of late,” Jongdae looks over to Kyungsoo in the driver’s seat.

“You know as well as I do that he has a giant mug of coffee on his desk and is working through the night.”

“I wish he’d get some sleep.”

Kyungsoo smirks at Jongdae, “you mean sleep with you.”

Jongdae groans while Kyungsoo laughs at his pain, never passing up a chance to make fun of Jongdae’s crush on the detective.

The story of how Jongdae and Kyungsoo met Minseok is one of Kyungsoo’s favorites because it involves Jongdae being embarrassingly drunk. They met the elder a few months ago at the grand opening of Chanyeol’s club _Phoenix_. Chanyeol had known Minseok for a while, chattering away about him for years, but he remained a mysterious figure to Kyungsoo and Jongdae, until Chanyeol convinced him to go to the opening. The club was crowded with people. Kyungsoo was proud of everything Chanyeol had accomplished with it, a dream he had been working towards since Kyungsoo met the other 14 years ago at MIB when Chanyeol was processed through the system with Junmyeon and Jongin. Minseok had stuck close to Chanyeol’s side that evening, weary of so many people dancing and drinking.

Jongdae was instantly attracted to him but also very, very drunk. If you ask him to recall the details of that night, he can tell you what cologne Minseok was wearing as he clung to the other man. And that’s about it for his memory of that evening.

Kyungsoo, however, wasn’t drunk and still has pictures of Jongdae attempting to grind on Minseok, who looked extremely pleased with the situation. A week later there was a situation at Chanyeol’s club, some Cephalopoid wreaking havoc, Minseok trying to help Chanyeol get the alien off the ceiling. Jongdae and Kyungsoo eventually got things settled, other agents taking the Cephalopoid back to HQ for a talk about proper etiquette, Chanyeol tagging along to file a proper report. They had to neuralize everyone in the club that evening, and for some reason or another, Minseok remembered everything after the flash went off. _Was that supposed to do something to me?_ Jongdae recalls Minseok asking, the club patrons stumbling out the red front doors with new memories. Needless to say, they were confused to why it never messed with Minseok’s memory. He did inform them that he was aware of what Chanyeol is and that he’s worked with aliens of various races over the years, revealing to Kyungsoo and Jongdae that he knew of MIB and their work in the city.

Kyungsoo pulls into the parking lot of Minseok’s station, Minseok standing outside next to another detective. The other detective takes a drag of his cigarette, a puff of smoke filling the air around them and Jongdae swears Minseok looks like an angel with that halo of smoke surrounding him. Jongdae gets out of the car, Minseok’s face curving into a smile.

“Well hey there stranger,” Minseok teases Jongdae, coming over to give the other a hug. Kyungsoo is close behind and they exchange small waves and friendly hellos. “What brings you two here tonight?”

Minseok looks at Jongdae, his brown eyes lit up from the police station lights and Jongdae swears he could get lost in them. The umber and golds dancing with each other, just barely offsetting the black of his irises, and it always renders Jongdae breathless.

Kyungsoo clears his throat.

“Oh, uhm. Work.” Jongdae shrugs, hoping he’s not too red from being caught staring at Minseok too long. And there’s really no better explanation anyways, at least not while the other detective is eying them from across the lot.

“Ah,” Minseok nods in understanding. He looks at the other detective before turning back towards the group. “Let’s take this inside my office, yeah? I’m assuming you’re here for a reason, and considering it’s you two suits, this might not be meant for public ears?”

Kyungsoo chuckles, “yeah, that’d be nice.”  

They walk into the brightly lit station, a few familiar faces waving as they follow Minseok into his private office. Minseok closes the door behind everyone and makes sure the blinds are shut before he makes his way to his desk and settles comfortably into his chair. He fiddles with a pencil on his desk, a nervous habit Jongdae noticed about Minseok early on.

“So…” Minseok draws out, his breath a tad shaky. “What can I help you with?”

Jongdae goes through the story, explaining about this race of aliens that is looking for some powerful Light that they want to use as a weapon, how they’re kind of hellbent on finding it but MIB isn’t entirely sure what the object even is or what it looks like. Kyungsoo adds a few things here and there, helping fill in small details that Jongdae doesn’t remember. Jongdae observes Minseok’s reaction, gauging to see if this is even too weird, too much for him. Minseok’s eyes widen at a few parts and there’s a flash of a new emotion Jongdae has never seen on Minseok’s face before and he decides he doesn’t like the way it contorts the detective’s face one bit. There’s a moment of silence after Jongdae finishes the last bit of the story until Minseok drops the pencil back on the surface of the desk, causing everyone to jump a bit.

Minseok clears his throat, “And you want my help to research?”

There’s a moment where they all stare at each other, none of them blinking. Jongdae feels himself shiver, not sure if he’s still chilly from the weather outside or if the moment is so tense that his body is ready to leave this room entirely.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to do it,” Jongdae says softly.

Minseok eventually blinks and lets out a breath. His shoulders relax and that emotion Jongdae couldn’t decipher earlier flickers through Minseok’s eyes once more before disappearing.

“I’ll do it."

****

**Chapter 2  
** **Deliver the Galaxy**

The power went out at work today and Baekhyun needs to start keeping track of how often it does this. Baekhyun would yell at the landlord if it wasn’t for the fact that Kris tries his hardest to make sure they’re fine and he’s honestly a nice dude. Luhan is standing outside exchanging strongly worded whispers with Kris right now, Baekhyun noting when they point through the window at Baekhyun like he is responsible in some form for the power going out. He hates how often he gets blamed for these things in his life.

Luckily it’s just finally starting to get close enough to closing time that the team at Aeris Cafe & Bakery can clean up anyways. It’s earlier than usual, but Luhan has been overworking himself and Baekhyun insists that they give themselves a break and the lights going out is a fine excuse. Finals week was just last week and the rush of being open so late to accommodate the university students is catching up with them. He’s pretty sure Jongin didn’t sleep at all last week between this and whatever his other job is that he still won’t tell Baekhyun about, but he keeps seeing Jongin on his breaks going through stacks of books and scrolling through conspiracy theorist websites.

Jongin dances around with the broom to whatever music he’s listening to in his head, sweeping up crumbs from under the tables and chairs, a crooked smile on his face. Lu is somewhere in the back now, done with yelling at Kris and cleaning up the counters and packing away the leftover goods to donate to the shelter down the street. Baekhyun lounges across the top of the front counter watching Jongin dance across the floor. He smiles. He’ll never regret opening this shop with Luhan.

“Are you daydreaming again?” Lu’s voice cuts him out of his memory, a mop of brown hair that matches Baekhyun’s own coming into view.

Baek pushes himself off the counter and just gives a goofy smile and shrugs.

_Bzzzzt, bzzzzt, bzzzzt_.

Baekhyun looks to the sound of the vibrating phone on the counter and sees Jongin’s phone flashing the name “Oh.” Baek is pretty sure this guy is Jongin’s boyfriend but Jongin won’t give up any details at all, only grumbling a simple _He’s not my boyfriend_ whenever Baekhyun teases him about it.

“Oooohhh, Jongin, Oh is calling you again. When do we get to meet this mystery man?” Baekhyun coos as he grabs the phone and answering it before Jongin can come over and take it from him. “This is Jongin’s boss speaking, how can I help?”

Baekhyun sticks out his hand and holds Kai back by his forehead, Jongin reaching to take the phone. “Baekhyun-hyung, please.”

“Uh-huh. Okay…” Jongin keeps swiping for the phone and Baekhyun is lucky the counter is between the two because he’s sure Jongin would tackle him if it weren’t. He dodges another swipe from Jongin, “yes, I’ll be sure to let him know, _Oh_ _._ ”

He emphasizes Oh’s name with a teasing lilt and winks at Jongin. Baekhyun hangs up and hands the phone to Jongin who just looks more concerned than anything about what Oh could have possibly said.

“What did Oh want?” Jongin’s voice frantic and Baekhyun swears he might actually be vibrating.

“He said something about a Code H? Whatever that means.”

“Code _Horny_ , I bet,” Luhan snorts next to Baekhyun and Baekhyun smiles at the joke, looking at his best friend.

When they both turn to look back at Jongin they’re met with wide, unblinking eyes. Jongin stands still for a moment before Baekhyun starts to get concerned, “Jongin? Are you okay?”

Jongin glances outside and Baekhyun sees two figures across the road, their backs toward the window. A man in a black suit and another in jeans and a t-shirt. A flurry of motion occurs as Baekhyun scrutinizes the men outside: Jongin takes off his apron and throws it on the counter, runs through the backdoors, there’s a small crash and Jongin cusses, and he flies back through, feet rapid towards the front door.

“I’m so sorry hyungs, I have to go. This is important!”

Jongin mutters a few more words to himself, talking a mile a minute. Baekhyun hears a couple of curse words, and then he hears something that sounds like shing? He’s not sure exactly what Jongin is saying or if he’s even speaking words right now. By the time he even thinks to say goodbye to Jongin, Jongin is long gone out the door, meeting up with two figures.

Baekhyun shrugs and finishes balancing the register, plucking out the bills. He looks out through the window again and sees Jongin interacting with the two men. He squints to try and see their faces better. The shorter one, just barely, has a defined jawline, rounded cheeks and a small smile on his soft pink lips. The other has more sharp features, cheekbones that could kill a man, but they’re offset by his feline smile. He looks at Baekhyun through the window and the smile disappears, his brows raised.

Jongin starts to walk away from them, the shorter one following behind but not before grabbing the hand of the one Baekhyun is making eye contact with. Baekhyun goes pink as the man waves before he’s yanked out of view.

Baekhyun feels his heart skip a beat and the power flickers on briefly in the shop before going back out. Baekhyun looks up at the lights and glares. They’ve really gotta get those lights fixed.

Baekhyun fiddles with the charm on his necklace as he sits in a booth of Aeris, the smell of whatever Luhan is baking wafting through the air. Something with chocolate, he can tell.

The lights have been cooperating today and he’s thankful. It’s been busy all day, some conference in town for business people, and this is the first time since opening that he can sit and relax, glad that Jongin's shift starts soon. He notes the time on the clock and realizes Jongin is actually late which is unusual. Jongin usually shows up 5 minutes early every day.

Just when he’s about to pick up his phone to call his employee, Jongin runs through the door, panting like a dog on a hot day and not in his work uniform, instead wearing black pants and a white button up, looking like he stepped out of the conference the businessmen and women are attending down the road. Jongin scrutinizes his surroundings before spotting Baekhyun in the booth, eyes widening.

As Jongin walks towards him, Baekhyun realizes there are two others behind him, the two guys from last night and he feels completely out of his element as the two are extremely attractive with their small awkward smiles adorning their faces. He pulls his gaze back to Jongin, who is just squinting at him.

“Hey Jongin, is everything okay?”

Jongin doesn’t reply and instead narrows his eyes further, not looking Baekhyun in the eye. Or even at his face.

Baekhyun looks down at his chest, thinking maybe he has something on his shirt, but instead he catches a glimpse of Jongin reaching towards Baekhyun, grabbing the charm of his necklace. Jongin flips the charm in his fingers, rubbing a thumb over the gem in the center. Baekhyun looks back at Jongin’s face. He’s so very confused.

“Jongin, it’s kind of rude to just get into his space like that,” attractive man #1 states.

Jongin’s eyes flick up to Baekhyun’s and he can see Jongin’s cheeks go pink as he drops the necklace and steps back a little.

“Hyung, where did you get that necklace?”

Baekhyun scrunches his eyes, “I’ve had it since I was a kid.”

The three men stare at each other then back at Baekhyun and Baekhyun feels like he’s on display.

“Why?”

It takes some time to get Jongin to finally explain the situation, the 4 of them now in Baekhyun’s room in the apartment above the cafe. Luhan gave a glare to the men as Baekhyun informed him there was an emergency and that Luhan should be fine on his own for the rest of the day anyways. He hopes Luhan won’t kill him for that lie.

Jongin starts to rattle off all the information, barely pausing for breaths. Jongdae is his coworker from his other job. Jongin’s not technically an agent like Jongdae is, but more like a contractor; Minseok is a detective nearby. Jongdae is a human, Jongin notes, and Jongdae adds that so is Minseok, and _wait what? What do you mean human?_ And then Jongdae explains that aliens exist and that Jongin is one and Baekhyun very nearly stops breathing as he stares at Jongdae like he’s got two heads. He starts to laugh and gets up, ready to tell Jongin that he really got him this time when Jongin disappears in front of him, a trail of a black smoky substance where he was instead.

Minseok rolls his eyes, “So dramatic.”

“Look out your window,” Jongdae says, a small smile on his face. Baekhyun is tempted to not look through the window, afraid of what the two men will do to him when he turns his back to them, but something about their faces is trusting and he turns until he can see out onto the street.

Jongin stands on the sidewalk, looking into Baekhyun’s room. He gives a small wave and a bashful smile, before he’s gone again.

“Where did he go?!” Baekhyun puts his hands on the window, getting as close as possible, the tip of his nose just smudging the glass.

“I’m here.”

Baekhyun jerks around and right there, is Jongin, as if he never left. Baekhyun says nothing and just stares, then gestures for them to continue, settling back onto his bed. Might as well hear them out.

Jongin starts over from the beginning and this time Baekhyun doesn’t interrupt when he talks about aliens. Baekhyun tries to take it all in. His brain stumbles a bit when he’s hit with the fact that they think Baekhyun might not be human because the Light has chosen him as its protector. To prove that point, Jongin takes the necklace off Baekhyun’s neck and puts it around his own. He lets out a squeak of pain as the necklace shocks him, quickly dropping the necklace onto the ground.

Baekhyun picks it up and puts it back on his neck, his eyes studying the forms of it and the crystal gem in the center.

“I’m… from another planet?”

Considering the weight of everything that has just been told to him, Baekhyun is surprisingly at ease. It makes sense, he supposes. He’s heard jokes for most of his life that he can’t be human but to actually hear someone say that and mean it sincerely is a completely different scenario. But he trusts Jongin, and he just saw Jongin teleport outside so he’s kind of got no choice but to accept it.

Also the part about a race of aliens threatening to destroy the planet soon has him a little on edge. He can have an existential crisis later, he thinks.

****

**Chapter 3  
** **Quantum Physics**

Jongdae has never been good at opening himself up to others. His brother said that he has a habit of putting on a facade of confidence, only to take it all back as soon as anyone tries to be anything other than a friend. Jongdae has had his share of dates and failed relationships, attempting to make them work but relying too much on his humor as a defense mechanism to cover up for his faults. His brother is right, he notes begrudgingly.

His last relationship was 2 years ago with another MIB agent after Yixing got rid of the dating policies for MIB. The relationship didn’t last terribly long though when he found out Agent H was sleeping with a Byvoid who was running an underground ring for a hallucinogen from some neighboring solar system. Agent H was immediately neuralized and given a new life; Jongdae had his heartbroken.

So needless to say the reason nothing has happened between Jongdae and Minseok is purely because of Jongdae’s self-esteem. He’s sure Minseok harbors some form of attraction to him but what kind of attraction, Jongdae isn’t sure he wants to find out for risk of being hurt or even worse, hurting Minseok because he’s sure he would. It’s easy enough to hold those feelings back when he’s in the same room as the detective, just sticking to basic flirting and his usual banter he does with everyone.

But now it’s not just Minseok in the room but Baekhyun too. And Baekhyun has been a presence in his life for a week now and Baekhyun’s bluntness combined with Minseok’s disarming humor puts Jongdae completely out of his comfort zone.

And he _really_ likes both of them and he’s _really_ not sure how to handle the situation.

Though there is a sense of familiarity that comes with Jongdae spending time with Baekhyun and Minseok. The last week they’ve been holed up in Minseok’s apartment, researching more about the Light and what they can do with it, what it means for Baekhyun to be the protector, and also how to stop the Hestarians. They’ve developed a routine, he supposes. Minseok has breakfast ready for Jongdae and Kyungsoo when they swing by, ready to dive into more research. Just after one, Baekhyun knocks on the door with lunch for the group. Sometimes if it’s a slow day at Aeris, he has Jongin in tow with him. They research and research for about an hour before they take a break and watch a movie instead, followed by dinner, and then everyone who isn’t Minseok leaves for the night. It’s not productive, they admit, but they’re flipping through the same information over and over again, hoping something new pops up because they have nothing else to look through.

Today Jongdae is by himself at Minseok’s, Kyungsoo trying to wrangle some group of alien tourists who meant to go to Los Angeles and somehow ended up in Seoul instead. It’s quiet, but not uncomfortably so. He sits on the floor of Minseok’s living room with Minseok’s cat, Tao, on his lap asleep as Jongdae gives a little rub on the side of the cat’s face.

Minseok’s interactions with his cat are Jongdae’s favorite. Minseok talks to the cat constantly. _What should I make for dinner? Are you tired? Did I remember to put my clothes in the dryer?_ And the more hilarious and endearing part is that Tao responds in little meows and hisses. Sometimes Minseok just raises a single brow at Tao when Tao hisses particularly aggressively, and Jongdae swears there’s no way he can fall harder for this lovely man and he really wants to stop that train of thought.

Minseok got called in briefly to work though, so Jongdae is here alone for now until Baekhyun gets here with lunch or until Minseok gets back. Luckily Tao has been a good companion to Jongdae’s dwelling boredom as he reads information after information.  

Jongdae gets lost in the files about the Hestarians that Yixing sent him. They’ve been searching for the light for about a quarter century. There’s nothing they can find about the Light being able to be a weapon. Baekhyun can barely even turn the lights on and off at will with that necklace bound to him, and he’s not sure what kind of weapon it is to flip on a lightswitch, unless there’s something else that necklace actually does and they don’t have written down.

But speak of the Devil, the lights flicker and turn off. Ever since Baekhyun learned he was actually the one controlling the lights, he’s zeroed in on trying to control them. He keeps playing pranks on everyone. Jongdae just lets a laugh out through his nose, a small one so as to not let Baekhyun hear him.

“Yahhh, Baek I know you’re here.”

He hears giggling outside the door and the lights turn back on, the door opening with Baekhyun sliding through the entry. Jongdae stares at him, his breath escaping him momentarily.

Baekhyun is simply wearing a light pink hoodie and ripped blue jeans, yet Jongdae feels completely underdressed as the other walks in with his bright smile. He’s got food in hand, as usual, looks like chicken today.

“Did I scare you?” Baekhyun’s eyebrows bounce.

“You always do,” Jongdae responds with a smile.

He’s never spent time alone with Baekhyun before and it’s awkward. Baekhyun sits on the couch with his laptop in hand and they make small talk. Jongdae knows most of Baekhyun’s adult life already, but nothing about his childhood. Whenever Jongdae pushes into that territory though, he’s met with resistance. He wants to get mad because they’re helping Baekhyun, but he sees a hurt behind Baekhyun’s eyes that he wants to fix. He’s only known the guy for a week and Jongdae feels stupid, but he’d give anything to make sure this cute man will never feel whatever pain he’s been through in the past.

They fall into a silence that isn’t quite comfortable, but it’s not awkward like it was before. Jongdae isn’t sure how to handle being around Baekhyun still. He’s been attracted to the man since he saw him, but then there’s Minseok. They’re both stunning and perfect and Jongdae is way in over his head.

It’s not even 2 minutes later when Baekhyun clears his throat and closes his laptop.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun’s voice is soft, so unlike what Jongdae has heard in the last week. “For uh, not telling you more. Childhood is kind of a sensitive spot.”

Jongdae turns to face Baekhyun, lifting himself up to sit on Minseok’s coffee table to be level with him.

“Bad parents?”

Baekhyun laughs and shakes his head, “No. Nah, my parents were great. They _are_ great.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything, you know?”

Baekhyun gives him a small smile, just one-sided, and nods his head in thanks. They fall into another brief silence, Jongdae once again not sure how to proceed. He looks down at his hands and fiddles. There’s some sort of tension between the two of them and Jongdae can’t figure it out. They’re both talkative when they’re in the large group, but now it’s the two of them and Jongdae might explode from whatever is happening in this room.

He looks up at Baekhyun and sees the other staring at him, his teeth biting his lower lip. There’s a look on Baekhyun’s face that Jongdae can’t figure out. The only emotion he thinks it could be he won’t let himself believe. Baekhyun doesn’t turn away, just holds Jongdae’s stare before releasing his lip and letting out a sigh.

Baekhyun sinks into the couch and tilts his head back, his neck exposed and Jongdae lets himself believe that what he saw behind Baekhyun’s eyes just a few seconds ago is real. His courage lasts just long enough that he straddles Baekhyun’s lap and places hands on either side of Baekhyun’s face. The fucker doesn’t even budge like he knew Jongdae would give in. And give in, Jongdae does, as he leans down to kiss Baekhyun on the lips. There’s something so magnetic about Baekhyun, something that draws him in. The kiss is slow and uncoordinated, Baekhyun’s hand grabbing Jongdae by the neck and just holding him there. They don’t push anything, both tentative about the situation because really it’s all quite fast. They pull back and kiss again until someone clears their throat and Jongdae’s eyes widen.

He turns his head around to see Minseok standing there with a smirk on his face. Jongdae turns red.

He feels guilt eat at him even though he doesn’t belong to Minseok but there is a bubble of feelings in his body and he’s starting to feel sick to his stomach.

Jongdae stands up and awkwardly laughs, “Sorry, about that uhhhh, yeah.”

Before Baekhyun or Minseok can say anything, he whisks himself away to the bathroom to splash water on his face. He’s not sure how to handle his feelings for both of the men. The thought of being with Minseok is great but then he remembers Baekhyun and feels his gut drop at the thought of not being with him. He tries to weigh the pros and cons of them, like he can just pick which one to keep feelings for.

Minseok: _Has seen you drunk and wasn’t put off. Is a detective. Good with animals. Clean. Compassionate. Already friends. Handsome as hell. But he deserves more than what you can give._

Baekhyun: _Funny. Passionate. Owns own business. Encouraging. Easy to be around. Stunning. But you’ve only known him for a week._

He weighs and weighs the options before finally letting that dark part of his brain return and telling him that he doesn’t do relationships well anyways. Neither is his decision. He needs to focus on the case anyways.

He leaves the bathroom after drying off his face, ready to get back into research when he sees Baekhyun pulling Minseok across the kitchen island by his tie. They’re both smiling at each other, noses touching, but not moving -- yet. Minseok’s eyes shoot down to Baekhyun’s lips and the two finally move to meet in a kiss. Jongdae feels his heart break and he just stands there until the two pull apart. They stay staring at each other, breathing heavily. He was just kissing Baekhyun but now Minseok is kissing Baekhyun and he’s really not sure who just broke his heart more.

“Are you just going to stand there, or are you gonna join us?” Minseok finally shoots a look at Jongdae and he’s so very confused.

Baekhyun releases Minseok’s tie and Minseok strides over towards Jongdae, Baekhyun close behind. Next thing he knows he’s pushed into the hallway wall by Minseok and his lips are captured in a messy kiss with the detective as Baekhyun intertwines his fingers with Jongdae’s.

_Oh_. He gets it now.

Another week has gone by and the routine has changed. Kyungsoo and Jongdae still stop by in the morning and eat breakfast. Kyungsoo doesn’t comment about the lingering touches from the two, but he does tick an eyebrow when Minseok sits on Jongdae’s lap at the dining room table, a bowl of cereal in hand. The new part of their routine is that Kyungsoo leaves when Baekhyun shows up.

Jongdae hasn’t mentioned anything to Kyungsoo about it, barely seeing his friend outside of the research they do in group settings, but Kyungsoo knows and lets them have privacy but not before reminding Jongdae that the Hestarians sent another threat and Yixing isn’t sure if he can keep appeasing them with “We’re looking for it.”

When Baekhyun comes over he’s always alone now and most of the research gets lost on the coffee table anymore. Jongdae can recite it backwards and forwards at this point, Kyungsoo be damned.

They don’t do much, keeping things simple. Jongdae is new to this whole dating 2 people at once concept but apparently Baekhyun and Minseok are not. They assure him it’s going to go slow since they’ve only known Baekhyun for a little bit but the three of them absolutely want this right now, Hestarians or not, they want to do this.

They all still separate before the end of the night, returning to their respective homes to start the routine again the next day, hoping that they’ll find some answer to beat the Hestarians and keep Baekhyun and the Light safe whenever they decide to show up on Earth.

Tonight, Baekhyun is in the kitchen washing dishes from dinner and humming some easy listening song from the States. Minseok’s body is sprawled across the couch, and he’s fallen asleep with his tablet on his chest. Jongdae thinks it’s cute and comes over and grabs the tablet off his chest and puts it on the coffee table. He sits on the edge of the couch and watches as Minseok breathes in and out, the soft black strands of his hair curling across his forehead.

“Has he been sleeping well?”

Jongdae looks up at Baekhyun, the other walking over to the couch and kneeling down to look at Minseok.

Jongdae shakes his head, “I think this is the first time he’s slept in 3 days.”

“We should get him to bed,” Baekhyun runs his hand on Minseok’s cheek, stirring the eldest awake. “Min, we should get you to bed.”

Minseok grabs Baekhyun’s wrist and pushes a kiss to the palm of his hand, and then nods. His eyes still not open.

They pull Minseok up and help him walk to the bedroom, getting him settled on the bed. He burrows himself into the blankets and lets out a content sigh. Jongdae and Baekhyun go to say goodnight, both leaning down to kiss Minseok on the cheek. Minseok lets out a groan and clears his throat.

“Stay, please.”

Jongdae and Baekhyun freeze to look at each other and they hear Minseok let out another, _stay_. They both slip off their pants and crawl under the covers, Jongdae on one side of Minseok and Baekhyun on the other. Minseok pulls Jongdae close to his chest, and Jongdae relaxes into the hold, a small shiver going up his neck as Minseok lets out a breath. Jongdae can feel Baekhyun’s hand around Minseok’s middle, and the three fall asleep sandwiched on the bed.

The next morning Jongdae wakes up to Tao staring at him. Minseok and Baekhyun are both asleep next to him still and he shifts just enough to move his arm and pet the cat.

“That’s great and all but your phone has been ringing for the last 10 minutes and it’s really annoying.”

Jongdae stills. The cat just spoke to him. _A Remoolian_ he supposes. Jongdae continues to pet Tao and the cat pushes Jongdae’s hand away with his paws.

“You seem entirely unphased by a cat speaking to you.” Tao keeps talking to him and tilts his head.

“Not the weirdest thing I’ve encountered in my job.” Minseok talking to his cat makes a lot more sense now and Minseok really wasn’t kidding those months ago when he said he was aware of aliens. Jongdae shifts out of Minseok’s hold and sits up, looking back at the other two men with a big smile on his face.

“Yes, you guys are cute, but your _phone_.”

“Right, yeah, sorry.”

Jongdae and Tao walk out of Minseok’s room and Jongdae digs up his phone out of the stack of papers on the coffee table. He’s missed 20 calls and 40 text messages.

_Oh (0530): Chen, wake your ass up and get to HQ._

_Kai (0531): Please get to HQ, there’s been an attack_

_Kai (0532): Bring Mini with you, we need all the help we can get_

_Suho (0535): im sorry it’s early, but pls get here now._

_Lay (0540): Emergency at HQ. All hands on deck._

_DO (0540): Chen, we need your help._

He scrolls through all the messages and finally scrambles to get his shoes on, tripping onto the bed to wake up Minseok and Baekhyun.

“Minseok, there’s been an attack and we need to go now. Baekhyun you're staying here.”

“What?”

“We have to go _now._ ”

Kyungsoo’s being held down, a Hestarian Scout’s claw around his neck slowly cutting off air supply.

His hands swipe at the alien, but he can’t reach, eventually settling on trying to pry the creature’s hands off his neck. Jongdae wants to run over and help but his leg is bleeding and Yixing keeps pulling him back to the ground, away from the fighting.

“Lay, he needs our help!”

“Just stay put, Chen.” Yixing’s grip tightens and Jongdae hisses as he feels Yixing dab the deep cut with an ointment. He’s watching Kyungsoo struggle and it’s breaking his heart. He can’t even save his partner because his boss, Kyungsoo’s best friend, is right here telling him to stay put.

He sees Minseok running towards a Hestarian with no weapon, his face unrecognizable in rage. What is Minseok thinking, where is his gun? He wants to call out to tell him to stop but before he can, Minseok releases a sharp object from his hand and into the head of the Hestarian. It crashes through the creature, forcing it off Kyungsoo and it lands on its back with a thud.

Minseok kneels to the ground and observes the other Hestarians around him, some advancing towards him and some fighting other MIB agents. Minseok gives a smirk and places his hand on the floor and Jongdae hears cracking. He doesn’t see what’s happening, not yet, but his body chills. Minseok concentrates hard and Jongdae sees crystals form across Minseok’s hands then spread across the floor of the MIB office. Ice structures start to form around the feet of the Hestarians, crawling up their legs and holding them in place so they are unable to move. They look confused and then look at the source, dropping the MIB agents where they are as they scramble to safety. The aliens try to break free of the ice formations holding them to the ground, but the ice is strong, forcing them into poses like art.

Minseok makes eye contact with the biggest Hestarian and just grins as he watches the ice rise up the rest of their bodies as they try to thrash about and escape, but the ice soon encases their entire form and they can no longer move. Minseok pushes his hand into the ground with a slap and the frost starts to dissipate away from him, rippling towards the frozen species. Jongdae hears large crackles as the ice and Hestarians shatter into pieces across the ground.

Minseok stands and looks around him, brushing stray hairs out of his face as he lets out a large sigh of relief, rushing over to where Kyungsoo is still on the floor. Yixing runs over to help Junmyeon, leaving Jongdae on the ground as he waits for the ointment on his calf to harden so he can stand again.

Jongdae feels warm once more, no longer able to see his breath. He’s glued in his spot staring at Minseok, who is helping Kyungsoo to his feet. Kyungsoo smiles and bows slightly, rubbing his neck, a small red mark fading into the tan skin. Jongdae doesn’t know what they’re saying but he sees Kyungsoo’s mouth move and then Kyungsoo is looking towards Jongdae. Minseok turns, biting his lip, and walks to where Jongdae is, his eyes downcast. Jongdae suddenly wants to be anywhere but here. He moves to stand up, wobbling a bit as he comes to his feet, his leg not ready for weight on it just yet, but then Minseok’s hands are on him helping him get steady.

Jongdae stills.

“I’m sorry,” Minseok tells him. Jongdae chances a look up at Minseok, his eyes not meeting Jongdae’s. “I should’ve told you sooner.”

Jongdae doesn’t say anything in return. Instead he slips a hand into one of Minseok’s, their fingers wrapping around each other. Jongdae looks back at the office floor to the clean up crew, trying to see which rooms are still in good shape, one they can escape to for privacy.

He lets out a small breath, “We should talk, Minseok.”

Minseok and Jongdae sit in Yixing’s office on the second floor of HQ. It looks out over the main floor, the clean up crew almost done sweeping up the frozen pieces of broken Hestarians that scatter the ground.

They’ve been sitting in silence since they got here, both on the small leather loveseat with each of them as close to the opposite ends as possible, but keeping their hands together in the center. Jongdae stares over at Minseok who just keeps fiddling with his shirt with his freehand. Eventually Minseok exhales dramatically and lets go of Jongdae’s hand, rotating himself to face Jongdae. Minseok holds his hands together with his palms up and Jongdae observes him.

A little reflection of light bounces off from the center of Minseok’s palms, and a square shape starts to form. Jongdae just watches in amazement as Minseok focuses on whatever he’s creating. The square of ice sprouts sharp points, stretching off in different directions, while the center of the square starts to hollow out. Another layer of frozen water cracks out along the sides and Jongdae realizes Minseok is making a giant snowflake. He’s so focused on the beauty of it, how amazingly clear it is, that he doesn’t realize the smaller flakes of snow falling on his skin, melting as it hits his skin.

He looks up and sees snow floating down from nowhere, just the lights of Yixing’s office above them. He laughs as the snow settles to the ground and disappears, leaving no water marks as if it never existed. It lands in his hair and onto his shirt, causing him to tremble with a chill up his spine.

“I cried the day I got my powers.”

Jongdae stops laughing, but continues to look to the snow falling around them, scrunching his nose when one lands on the tip of it and he knows Minseok did that one on purpose; A kiss of sorts. He chews on the inside of his cheek and waits for Minseok to continue, watching the snow slip away into nothingness until there’s none falling anymore.

“I apologize for those times you’ve been cold at my place. Sometimes I get so caught up in my mind that I forget I’m not the only one who can feel it. Tao yells at me a lot for it.” Minseok laughs half heartedly.

Jongdae shifts his body to face towards Minseok, his head following suit. Minseok has multiple ice sculpture snowflakes in his hand now and he’s twirling them around like Baoding Balls, watching them intently before dropping his hand and they disappear. He finally looks Jongdae in the eyes.

“I don’t know where to start.”

A corner of Jongdae’s mouth lifts into a small smile, “How about from the beginning?”

Minseok nods, his eyes softer now. Jongdae can tell he’s relieved about how this is going, though Jongdae is still mad at him. Though for now, he supposes he can wait to hear the story before he raises his voice at Minseok or makes him beg for forgiveness for hiding this. And oh, Jongdae realizes, I’m in love with two aliens. Minseok snorts, and Jongdae’s eyes widen as it hits him that he said that last bit out loud. He gives a weak laugh back at Minseok, who raises his brow and bites his lower lip seductively before a more a neutral expression takes over his features.

Minseok opens his mouth and starts to tell Jongdae his story.

Minseok reveals he’s from EXO, something Jongdae assumed based on the fight a few minutes ago. He tells him about the day he got his powers and how he cried because he didn’t know what was happening. He tells him about the day that he figured out how to create sculptures of ice with his power and when he made little snow flurries during the middle of hot weather that would help cool down the animals and people of his town. He describes how beautiful his mom was and how she was an empath, the best one in the area. Jongdae runs his fingers over Minseok’s palm, encouraging him to continue when Minseok trails off talking about his mother. Minseok laughs through the story of him and Kris running away to Earth together, leaving EXO behind, and how Kris was almost shot down by the United States military as a UFO when Kris decided to fly around the globe at age 13. Minseok goes on and on, detailing the effort he put into being human, only accessing his power in private or around others from EXO. How registering with MIB has terrified him because he wants to forget about what happened with his home planet, what happened to his mother, what he left behind. The fact he wasn’t there to help when the Hestarians attacked in the first place. Jongdae sees a few tears escape Minseok’s eyes, but before he can go to wipe them away, they float off Minseok’s face into small flakes of snow.

Minseok gives a watery laugh, “That happens whenever I cry anymore. It’s actually kind of annoying. Junnie thinks it’s cute.”

Jongdae just gives Minseok a small chuckle and pulls him towards his chest, cradling the man against him. Jongdae’s heartbeat is steady, lulling Minseok into a sense of security and calm. Jongdae runs his fingers through Minseok’s black hair, the strands getting shaggy since the first time Jongdae met Minseok.

“You and Junmyeon grew up together then?”

“Ah,” Minseok’s voice somewhat muffled by Jongdae’s arms and chest, but Jongdae can still understand him, “he’s my cousin. My aunt was his mother. She helped me get my powers under control when I first got them.”

There’s a comfortable lull between the two as Jongdae rocks back and forth with Minseok in his arms, willing the other man to relax more.

“Jongin must have been a nightmare when he got his powers.”

Minseok cackles, a happy hearty laugh that warms Jongdae to his core.

Jongdae once asked Kyungsoo why he recruited him. He was drunk at Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s place and in complete tears because he couldn’t save this young alien from being murdered. He was a failure. This was his job and he _failed_.

“Because you’re a good person, Dae,” Kyungsoo told him.

Jongdae just shook his head and told him it wasn’t a good enough answer and it wasn’t even true. Kyungsoo instead had continued forward and told Jongdae that he puts his whole into everything and cares so much about others and okay, _sure_ , he isn’t the best at expressing those feelings sometimes, but he loves with his whole heart.

“You graduated college and threw yourself into protecting the rights of others,” Chanyeol piped up. “You sometimes care _too much_.”

Kyungsoo nodded along in agreement before adding that Jongdae is worth so much more than what he gives himself credit for. _You deserve happiness_ , is what Kyungsoo ended that night with as Jongdae fell asleep in their guest room. 

It’s not until now that Jongdae lets himself take in those words fully and he realizes he should listen to Kyungsoo more.

He sits in the living room of Baekhyun’s apartment, lounging on the small sofa that he knows has seen better days.

Minseok is with Baekhyun in the bedroom, telling him the truth about who and what Minseok is. He wanted Minseok to have the opportunity of telling Baekhyun by himself like Minseok was able to with Jongdae. He feels himself shiver and then hears a high pitched exclamation, “What?!” and he knows Minseok did something with his power.

Luhan walks in, pausing to stare at Jongdae before he shakes his head and closes the door behind him. Jongdae doesn’t know much about Luhan besides what Baekhyun has gone on and on about, but he seems nice enough. He hasn’t been around much, weary of the presence of Jongdae and Minseok, no matter how many times Jongin and Baekhyun vouched for them.

“Where’s Baek?”

“With Minseok,” Jongdae points to the bedroom door.

“And you’re not with them?”

“Oh, no, uhm, Minseok is talking to him about something. I would very much be in the room for uh, whatever you’re implying.”

Luhan chuckles, dumping his bag on the seat next to the sofa. “So what is Minseok talking to him about?”

“That’s not really my place.”

Luhan raises his eyebrows in surprise, “Oh. _That_.”

“What do you mean _that_?”

Luhan rolls his eyes and suddenly the plant next to Jongdae is floating in the air and moving towards Luhan. He moves his fingers around, a wave-like gesture as he rotates the plant. Jongdae stares. Luhan uses his other hand to bring a cup of water over, watering the plant in the air, then puts both objects down before clasping his hands together in his lap, crossing his legs at the ankle.

“You’re from EXO?”

Luhan just nods, “Baek doesn’t know. I didn’t want him to know. Just like Minseok didn’t want anybody to know about him. But since he’s come back around to accepting who he is, why not?”

Jongdae stares at Luhan, questions twirling around in his brain. So many questions, but he doesn't even know where to start. 

“I’m a protector. I have been trained my entire life to protect the Light so I didn’t really get a chance to interact with kids my age when I lived on EXO.”

Luhan is the protector of the Light? They thought Baekhyun was the protector of the Light. What does that make Baek-- _wait_.

“Baekhyun _is_ the Light,” Jongdae stands and stares at Luhan who isn’t looking at him anymore. Jongdae follows his eyeline, guessing where it’s already staring. Baekhyun and Minseok stand in the doorway, similar expressions on their faces, mouths open.

“I’m the Light?”

****

**Chapter 4  
** **Your Favorite Weapon**

Baekhyun was 10 when he felt like there was something off about him. Sure he was a little more talkative than the normal 10 year old, but there was nothing wrong with that, was there? He never understood what warranted the cruel teasing of the others, why other kids called him a freak.

When Baekhyun turned 10 his parents gave him a necklace in the strangest shape. _It almost looks like starlight_ , his young mind stared in awe as the silver pendant in his fingers shined brightly in the light of his room.

After that, lights started to flicker wherever he went. He couldn’t tell you why, but he thought it might just be a coincidence. It happened in class, at home, on the street and even at his Ma’s work. He wrote it off, thinking that he’s young and his imagination goes wild, after all, his father did say Baekhyun had an active imagination. He would draw these symbols everywhere on his coloring pages that just flowed from his mind like they were deep in his memory somewhere. An hourglass, a phoenix, a dragon… they just came to him.

He stopped drawing them at school after another student ripped up his pages at recess and he cried as if he had never cried before. He wailed and screamed until the streetlight outside the school lit up and kept getting brighter and brighter until it eventually burst. The other students yelled as the covering for the light went everywhere, barely missing the students. The bully looked at Baekhyun, pushed him to the ground and called him a freak for the first time. Baekhyun came home with a cut on his arm that he hid from his parents best he could, but when caught, he just said he tripped and fell.

And so it went, any time the lights flickered anywhere the other students blamed Baekhyun.

He was finally pulled from public school two months into the school year. It was show and tell in class and Baekhyun’s classmate brought in the cutest pug he’s ever seen. He was so excited when he was allowed to play with the pup, its little spiral of a tail attempting to wag and shaking its butt instead. Baekhyun’s laugh was overwhelming and before he knew what was happening, darkness captured the room. The others in the room started blaming Baekhyun and calling him names. He cried until the teacher carried him to the administration office.

The school called his parents and told them about the bullying and issues happening on campus. Baekhyun’s mother was furious with the teachers for not telling them sooner, and his father was quiet, not wanting to upset Baekhyun who still had small tears running down his face as he sniffled.

He cried into his father’s shoulder when they got home, apologizing profusely. His father just held Baekhyun in his arms, squeezing him tight until the tears refused to flow any further. _You’re okay, we’ve got you. You’re not a freak. You’re perfect the way you are, Baekhyun_.

Two years later, Baekhyun’s parent sat him down and told him he was adopted. Baekhyun wasn’t surprised. He doesn’t look anything like either of his parents.

They told him that blood didn’t matter with their relationship, and Baekhyun agrees. His parents have always loved him and he’s always loved them with his whole heart.

He thought maybe that hearing he was adopted would fill this void in his body he couldn’t make sense of, that this dissonance would finally resolve in his brain. Instead he was left with more questions. He gripped his emblem in his hand, never taking it off since he was given it. It felt important and powerful, like he could take on the world with it.

The flickering lights still happened, but not nearly as often as his last year of public school.

At 13, Baek was running down the sidewalk away from an angry shop owner, a short skinny man who was balding in all the wrong places. Baekhyun tried not to look back at the man, just wanting to find a hiding place. The man accused Baekhyun of messing with the lights to steal a few things and to be honest Baekhyun was just really tired of this thing that followed him around. It wasn’t his fault that people didn’t have proper wiring in this part of town, he always tried to convince himself. He turned a corner, out of sight of the owner and hoped it would be enough time to shake him off.

Another teenager, older than Baekhyun, stepped in front of him and grabbed him by the shoulders before pushing him into an alley. He got shoved behind a stack of empty pizza boxes, the stench causing Baek to pinch his nose in attempts to avoid the smell.

“Be quiet and don’t move,” the other boy said as he stood in front of the pizza boxes, sucking on a lollipop that slurred his words. “And don’t come out ‘til I say so.”

The shop owner ran right by the alleyway, the other boy tracking the movement with his head and letting out a pointed pop sound as he pulled the candy out of his mouth. There was silence for a while until Baekhyun heard expletives from the shop owner’s mouth get closer and Baekhyun tensed. He pulled farther behind the pizza boxes and closed his eyes, hoping the man would be gone and return to his shop. He heard a laugh, from the other boy he assumed.

“Kiss your mom with that mouth, man?”

“Mind your own damn business, kid!”

The other boy continued to chuckle and Baekhyun could tell the boy was walking towards him.

“It’s safe.”

Baekhyun looked up at the other teen, a smile on his face and shaggy hair in front of his eyes, much like his own.

“I’m Luhan.”

When Baekhyun had a breakdown in college about everything that happened as a kid, everything that _still_ happened to him, he was sure Luhan would pick up and leave, refusing to ever call Baekhyun his best friend again.

Instead Luhan had hugged Baekhyun and told him _You’re not a freak, Baekhyun. You’re beautiful and brilliant and maybe a little bit destructive_. Baekhyun let out a wet chuckle at that. Luhan stayed by Baekhyun’s side and Baekhyun was eternally thankful.

At 22, Baekhyun and Luhan opened Aeris Cafe and Bakery.

And here they were today, still running the Aeris shop, living together above it and Baekhyun finding out that all this time his imagination wasn’t wild. He has memories of home. A home that he hasn’t seen since he was a baby but his brain has somehow kept those visuals in his head of what it was like. Minseok tells him the symbols he drew were those of their ancestors, a way to depict the original 11 powers bestowed onto them by the Light.

_The Light_.

Baekhyun is the Light. Luhan is his protector.

This is all just a bit too much for him and he curls up on his bed as Jongdae sings him a song. Minseok runs his hands down Baekhyun’s arm gently and Jongdae’s fingers work through Baekhyun’s messy hair, and he feels his eyelids start to close just a bit until eventually he dreams of home.

Baekhyun sits in the corner of the safe house room, away from the windows as instructed by Yixing. Luhan had volunteered to fight alongside MIB, insisting that it was part of his job as the Protector of the Light, leaving Sehun behind to watch after Baekhyun. _A great honor_ Yixing had said.

The Hestarians had given a final warning that they were showing up and the MIB agents barely had time to get Baekhyun to the safe house. Then they were off to fight the Hestarians, who were starting to come down towards Namsan Tower and surrounding areas. Baekhyun hasn’t been allowed anytime to really come to terms with what he is with all this madness. It was one thing to find out he was from a different planet, but now he is the object the other alien race is trying to find and use as a weapon.

_I’m not a weapon_ , Baekhyun thinks with a snort, understanding what The Iron Giant must have felt like.

Baekhyun tries to peek out the window as much as he can, wanting to see what’s happening, but he can’t see the park from where he is. It concerns him to have both Minseok and Jongdae out there fighting. He doesn’t want to lose either of them and now he might lose both of them because he’s some myth come to life that another race wants?

He can’t feel his hands and suddenly the lights across the horizon are flickering.

Baekhyun feels a burn on his chest and he hisses. When he looks down, he sees his necklace is glowing and it’s hot to the touch. It starts floating off his chest, pulling slightly in the direction of the park. He pulls back, but the pull from the necklace is greater, dragging his feet across the floor to the window. He puts his hand against the glass, but then the necklace is yanking at his neck again, and his hand glides through the window, like it isn’t there. The next thing he knows he’s on the other side of the window, standing on the fire escape.

He touches the glass again. It’s hard.

He sees Sehun stare through the window at him, slowly realizing that Baekhyun is most definitely not in the room anymore. Before Baekhyun can think about it more, he runs down the fire escape, a loud thunk as Sehun slams into the window to chase after him.

Baekhyun umps over the side of the final fire escape, landing hard on the ground, but pushing forward. The necklace still tugging him but not as harshly now as he sprints across the bridge in the direction of the park. He’ll be lucky to get there in an hour on foot, he screeches to a stop in the middle of the bridge, staring towards Namsan Tower.

He grabs the charm on his chain, and holds it through the burning sensation.

“Alright, I’m supposed to be some powerful Light, yeah? Help me get there faster.”

Baekhyun closes his eyes, squeezing the emblem tightly in his palms until he feels as though he’s weightless. Every piece of him zig zagging rapidly back and forth through space until he’s breathing air again, his feet on the ground and there’s weight to his body again. He opens his eyes and laughs, standing on Namsan Tower. _This is amazing_.

The tower shakes and Baekhyun loses his footing and almost falls.

“Shit. There’s a war happening right now Baek, you gotta focus.”

He looks out across the area below the tower, the MIB agents firing weapons of all sorts at the Hestarians who fire back. He spots Jongin grabbing people and transporting them out of harm’s way. The others from EXO are all here too, Chanyeol’s fire lighting up the sky in contrast to Minseok’s blue and white ice. Luhan is throwing anything and everything he can at the species.

Baekhyun looks above him from the observation deck towards the needle. He’s not sure if he has it in himself to move as light again so he jogs over to the ladder to climb up to the top.

It’s a long climb, and he feels like he’s crawling, but the necklace won’t let him stop. He’s sweating, little streams flowing down his back. He hears some screams from the fighting and he hopes to god that it wasn’t Jongdae or Minseok who made that noise. He makes some awkward transitions from rung to rung, certain ladders not quite lined up and set up for those who have access. Baekhyun is thankful he’s thin enough to maneuver through some of the metal bars, though the trembling of the tower from the fighting does little to help his excursion.

A laser pellet hits just to his left, just burning through his sweatshirt and missing his skin. He curses lightly, and takes a moment to catch his breath.

Only a few more rungs, almost…. _there._

He clings to the side of the needle, struggling to keep his footing. He feels himself get dizzy from the height, and he closes his eyes trying to regain his composure. He opens, a fierce look on his face and he glares towards the Hestarians.

“Hey Hestarians!” He yells.

No answer. The fighting continues and he sees Minseok spray icicles into a Hestarian before the Hestarian slaps Minseok to the ground, the ice falling from the sky where Minseok was controlling it. A figure, Jongdae he realizes, starts to run towards him and collapses on top of Minseok. Baekhyun just met both of them a few weeks ago, and yet he’s here, ready to put his life on the line to make sure they survive, that they'll all survive.

“No!” Baekhyun yells again, “I’m here you assholes! You want the Light of EXO? Come at me.”

The ground below stills and the Hestarians drop everything to come towards Baekhyun. He channels everything he can, digging deep until he senses something.

He feels an energy bubble under his skin, a tingling that’s not painful but it’s not pleasurable either. A beam of light extends out the palms of his hands, shooting towards the Hestarians. The energy bubbles up his spine and through his throat. Everything is bright, burning Baekhyun’s eyes and his skin and he has no idea what’s happening. He feels pain, but it’s exhilarating. He thinks his mouth is open in a scream as his bones feel on fire, exploding from underneath his muscles. Every ounce of him combusting into something. Something _brilliant_ and _beautiful_ and _destructive_. Everything Luhan always said he was and is. But now, Baekhyun feels beautiful and brilliant and extremely destructive.

He thinks he lets out a laugh at the ridiculousness of his situation, but the pain re-emerges in him and his thoughts stop as he feels a sharp pain in his neck and everything plunges into darkness.

Baekhyun dreams about home again. There’s laughter from the kitchen and the lingering smell of homemade food drifting through the hallways. The figures are blurred and Baekhyun reaches out to them to see if he can feel them, figure out who they are. What they are. There are hands around his waist, pulling him back into someone’s chest. The person buries their face into his neck and gives light kisses, causing Baekhyun to laugh from the tickle. Another person’s arms make their way around his middle, lacing fingers with the first person’s.

There’s a comfort here and Baekhyun desperately wants the images to come into focus. This isn’t a memory, not yet anyways, but Baekhyun hopes it will be his future instead. He settles back into the chest of the person holding him and lets himself breathe in the scent of the person.

They smell clean, and a bit minty, but with an edge of coffee on their breath.

The fuzziness of his brain starts to clear but he closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to see it clearly anymore because he knows what this is already. He knows what home he’s dreaming of and he won’t let it go so easily.

****

**Chapter 5  
** **Secrets of the Universe**

_One Year Later_

It’s 2 in the morning and Baekhyun is curled up on the couch in Minseok’s living room, his chin resting on his knees. Jongdae and Minseok are asleep in the bedroom, Baekhyun still not feeling tired, an energy buzzing under his skin he can’t quite shake.

He looks out the window to the city skyline, little raindrops smattering the window and he wonders if Junmyeon is off somewhere enjoying the energy. He can picture it already: Junmyeon running through the rain in his pajamas, a very tired Yixing following behind trying to get him to come inside so they can sleep before they have a meeting with the International Sector of Men in Black in the morning. He smiles at the thought.

Baekhyun looks at his reflection in the glass, noting the subtle glowing of his hair. After he turned into what everyone describes as a star, his hair had changed to a soft pink. He’s still not used to it, but Minseok keeps telling him it suits him. The necklace disappeared when he combusted, leaving a scar the shape of his pendant on his chest, just above his heart. Jongdae also said it suits him. 

It’s been exactly a year since that incident and Baekhyun mostly has his power under control. The others all try and help him as much as possible, but Baekhyun’s power is a bit more, well, powerful, than any of the others and sometimes Baek is left to channel his emotions and figure it out himself.

He lets out a sigh and puts his palm out in front of him. He feels the energy brewing, that little buzz that tickles like white noise. He concentrates on pushing it towards his palm until a little ball of light extends out of his hand and floats in the air, little flares floating around it. He lifts it up into the air as a little light to hang above him and watches it. It’s beautiful and illuminates the room just a little bit and Baekhyun wills the lamp across the room to turn off so the ball of light is the only thing left lighting the room.

He lets out another one. Then another. Until there are 10 little orbs of light floating around the room.

“That’s new.”

Baekhyun jumps and looks to see Jongdae watching him from the doorway of the bedroom, a small smile of awe on his face. Jongdae looks around the room at all the little balls meandering around the air and Baekhyun loves the way Jongdae looks so impressed with it, like a small child discovering a magic trick. He looks this way whenever he or Minseok do anything with their powers and it warms Baekhyun to his core.

“How come you’re not in bed?” Jongdae walks over to Baekhyun, seating himself on the couch so their shoulders are touching.

Baekhyun rests his head on Jongdae’s shoulder, “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Want to talk about it?” Minseok stumbles out from the bedroom, rubbing his eyes. He sits on the other side of Baekhyun, pushing himself as close as possible to the other, a small yawn escaping his lips.

There’s nothing to talk about to be honest. He’s not sure what he would even _start_ to talk about because he’s not really sure why he can’t sleep either. The buzzing hasn’t stopped, though it’s dulled to a small vibration now as Minseok snuggles into his side and Tao hops on Jongdae’s lap to settle into his body warmth.

Baekhyun scratches behind Tao’s ears, who lets out a purr of contentment, and Baekhyun is hit with the realization that this buzzing under his skin has nothing to do with his powers.

“I’m just happy,” he says.


	2. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this early on in writing this story and it eventually set the tone for the rest of the fic. I went from having about 20k written to cutting it way back to focus on other aspects, or as my friends referred to them "the emo hours." Thanks, Mini.
> 
> Note: There is some smut in this chapter!

****

**Most Favorite Moment**

Minseok is 5 years old when he first hears the story about the Light of EXO. His baby cousin is celebrating his second birthday and they’ve all gathered outside to celebrate.

Junmyeon is just 4 years old, begging his mother to tell Jongin the story about the Light because it’s Junmyeon’s favorite and his little brother should know it too. Minseok’s aunt smiles when Minseok questions what the story is. After all, he’s 5 (almost 6!) And he’s never heard the story before. She pulls the three boys into her lap, their backs against her chest as she has them look out at the tree line on the horizon. She uses her power of nature to depict everything. Leaves floating together in the wind to create beautiful works of art across the sky, branches intertwining to create depictions of their ancestors, silhouetted against the setting sun. She tells them about their people and their struggle for survival. How the Light was the first power bestowed on them and brought happiness to their people. How it’s the reason their people have powers now.

“When do we get ours!?” Junmyeon asks, bouncing in her lap.

Junmyeon’s mother laughs, the vibrations shaking the boys. Minseok crawls off and tilts his head as he quietly waits for an answer, Junmyeon joining him shortly after.

“You’ll find out when you turn 10, my dear.” She cradles Jongin in her arms, kissing his cheek before putting him on the ground next to his brother.

Junmyeon looks at Minseok with curved smiling eyes, excitement filling him.

“I hope we get similar powers, Mini!! Can you imagine? We could learn together!”

Minseok smiles back at his younger cousin. His aunt just laughs some more, and holds out her hand, palm up, where a blue flower sprouts. She places it in Jongin’s hair before making a new one for Junmyeon. “In due time, my sweets. You’ve got time.”

Minseok looks to his aunt, “Imo, can you tell the story again?”

She smiles, putting a white flower into his hair, green vines sprouting around his head in a small crown. She pinches his nose and he giggles, “Of course, Mini.”

He smiles.

 _This is his favorite moment in his entire life_ , he thinks.

When Minseok turns 10, he wakes up shivering. No amount of blankets covering his body able to quench the need for warmth. He opens his eyes and lets out a breath, noticing that he can see it, swirling around him before it disappears. He sits up in his bed, shaking and confused. Ice is covering everything in his room, icicles stretching down into points by the door, his ceiling slowly covering with thick layers of frost.

He starts to cry, confused by the cold seeping into his room. He doesn’t like the cold.

Loud knocks on his door break off some of the icicles, but they grow quickly back encasing the door in ice. “Minseok, sweetie! You’ve got to calm down! The ice is spreading out into the hall.” His mother’s muffled voice does little to help him.

Minseok’s breathing increases, panic settling in his stomach with bile rising up his throat. What does him being calm have to do with the ice? He buries himself under his covers once more, settling on his knees and arms, pulling the covers over his head.

“Mini, it’s me.” His aunt’s voice rings through the door. He snaps his head towards the direction of the voices, unable to see through the fabric of his blanket. “Everything is okay, you understand?”

Minseok doesn’t respond. It’s cold. The ice is consuming his room, it’s consuming him. He doesn’t know what to do. It has to be a nightmare, it has to be fake, _this can’t be real._

“Mini, I need you to listen to me. Can you tell me what you see?”

Minseok shakes his head, knowing his aunt can’t see him, but not wanting to speak.

“Do this for me, please?”

Minseok braces himself and hesitantly pokes his head out of the blanket, looking around his room.

“I… It’s all ice.” He breaks into a sob.

“Give me more details, my sweet.”

He bundles the blanket around his shoulders as he sits up, tears falling like a waterfall and his voce hiccups as he speaks. “There are icicles by the door...they look see through? But not really? Imo, I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You’re doing great, Mini, keep going.”

Minseok looks towards his window, the glass slowly frosting over in a battle with the sunshine pouring in through the window. “The window is frosty. It looks like someone painted it with clouds almost. It’s kind of pretty.”

Minseok continues to relay what the room looks like to his mother and aunt, his breathing steadying out in the process. He notices the designs in the crystals of the frost, the architecture of the ice as it builds and notes how it really is beautiful. As he calms the ice starts to disappear.

“It’s not melting, it’s just going away?”

“Are the icicles gone yet?”

“Yeah.”

The door opens and his mother and aunt walk in, the room now clear of ice, back to the pale blue his mother painted his walls when he was a child. They pull him into their arms and squeeze him tight. When they pull back they’re just smiling proudly at him.

“What was that?” His eyes water, but he blinks back any tears, keeping them from staining his cheeks.

“It was your power, Mini.” His mother grasps his hand and places a cup of water in it. He looks at her confused, but she just looks at the glass. He peers at his aunt and she’s doing the same. His gaze turns to the water in his hand and he gasps.

The water starts to harden with crystals of ice forming through it, until it finally becomes hard and small fractures form. The glass clouds up and Minseok eyes get wide in excitement. He’s the one doing this.

He focuses, until the ice disappears and the glass goes back to normal, with just that little bit of water still in it. His mother and aunt cheer for him and he looks at them until it hurts to smile, but he keeps doing it anyways.

 _This is his new favorite moment_ , he thinks.

Minseok was 12 when he ran away to Earth, overcome with emotions after the death of his mother. Junmyeon had begged him to stay, but Minseok was selfish and took off on a transport, bringing his friend Kris with him.

Kris and Minseok were not prepared for what Earth actually was, but after a couple of years of being here, they figured it out. They lived in a home with others like them. Well, not exactly like them, but from other planets. Others who ran away, wanting to find a better home. They were told stories of these men in black suits who say they want to help “aliens” but some of the other boys insisted that they’re just trying to do testing on them. Minseok and Kris didn’t know who to believe, but they avoided the Men in Black as much as they could.

The other boys they were with weren’t all able to be in the public eye. Some had multiple eyes with scales on their face, others looked like animal hybrids, and others had multiple appendages. Minseok and Kris realized they’re lucky; despite having powers, they look and sound exactly like humans. They picked up on all the languages easily enough, having similarities with the ones back on their planet. Minseok hardened himself, keeping his emotions under control. He kept himself in check, making sure his powers were used only when necessary, though sometimes he’d create just enough snow for the boys to have a snowball fight inside. Their laughter echoing in his ears.

Minseok and Kris helped the other boys, going out for food and money, until eventually all of boys gave in to registering with MIB’s database.

Minseok is 15 and still refuses to register. Kris registered last year. MIB gives Kris a place to live, gives him papers, enrolls him in school and provides money for him to live. Everything he needs to properly transition into life on Earth. Kris houses Minseok with him, Minseok hiding from the agents when they come to check on Kris, or posing as a high school friend which isn’t far from the truth once Minseok forges papers to get himself enrolled at the same school. A few months ago Kris came home in tears, revealing to Minseok that MIB said their home planet had been destroyed by a race called the Hestarians. They’re unaware of any survivors.

Minseok didn’t eat for 3 days after the news, mad at himself for being so selfish and leaving his cousins behind. Kris and him fought, Minseok reverting to the silent self he was from his childhood until they finally started talking again, but not nearly as much as Minseok had before.  

Kris is in a meeting at MIB, leaving Minseok at the apartment contemplating what to make for dinner. He’s cleaned the entire place today because Kris said someone new was moving in with them after the meeting at MIB concludes. Two new someones. Minseok doesn’t know how they’ll fit 4 people in this apartment, but he’s sure it’ll be fine if 2 people each share a bedroom.

He shuts the refrigerator door with a sigh. Maybe they’ll get take out tonight. He walks to his old bedroom making sure he’s cleaned it perfectly for the new roommates when he hears the door open.

“Yo, I have a surprise for you!” Kris’ voice sings out.  

Minseok chuckles and goes to meet Kris and the new roommates in the living room. “You can hardly say two new alien roommates are a sur--”

Standing in the living room of the apartment are two boys gripping each other’s hands, the older one with a backpack flung on his arm. Minseok stares at them until finally he’s racing towards them, and the older boy drops his backpack and pulls the younger boy with him. They crash into a group hug in the middle of the room.

Minseok doesn’t realize he’s crying until the tears turn into flakes of snow when they drip off his face.

“Junmyeon.” He croaks.

“Mini.” Junmyeon replies.

 _Nothing can top this moment_ , he says.

Other moments come and go. Minseok makes detective after working his ass off to get there at such a young age. He keeps the celebration picture in his apartment: Junmyeon, Kris, Chanyeol, Jongin and himself all gathered around in front of the police station, smiles adorning their faces.

He meets Jongdae for the first time at Chanyeol’s club and then sees him again a week later. A face that continues to show up in his life, and one he hopes stays there. The first MIB person that makes him feel like it’s okay to be himself.

He meets Baekhyun for the first time when Jongin exclaims he’s seen the symbol for the Light of EXO before. Minseok thinks that maybe Baekhyun might be one of the prettiest people he’s ever seen. He feels his heart break for the guy as he comes to accept he’s not human, and Minseok considers just for a moment that he’ll finally tell everyone who and what he actually is. Minseok thinks maybe it’s time for him to accept who he is, too, and move on.

He falls fast and hard for Jongdae and Baekhyun. He stumbles into a cloud of bliss at their constant presence until finally he wants to make new moments with both of them at his side.

Their first kiss.

Their first official date.

The first time they fuck.

The first time Minseok gives them each a key to his apartment and he puts two extra toothbrushes in his bathroom in case they ever spend the night.

They spend the night every night.

The first time he tells the story of the Light of EXO to Baekhyun and Jongdae the way his aunt told him, but this time with ice and snow on the window sill. _And the Light of EXO brought life to our people._ _Pink hair and all_ , he ends it with, smiling at Baekhyun.

These are all moments that compete in his brain, the little moments he falls asleep to.

 _These are all my favorite moments_ , he thinks.

Jongdae is sandwiched between Baekhyun and Minseok. Baekhyun is on his back on the bed, Jongdae filling him while kissing him through his orgasm, streaks of come landing on his stomach. The noises Baekhyun makes has Minseok panting, chasing after his own release but he's not quite there yet. Minseok pulls Jongdae’s hips back against him, pushing deeper and he hears Jongdae whine into Baekhyun’s mouth. The slap of their skin rings throughout the room, with Baekhyun gasping as Jongdae continues to grind into the pink haired man.

Jongdae’s orgasm hits and he collapses on Baekhyun, Baekhyun’s arms wrapping around Jongdae as he kisses his cheek. Baekhyun makes eye contact with Minseok and beckons his face down towards him, dragging him into a deep kiss. Jongdae groans at the shift in angle, oversensitive as his cock softens in Baekhyun.

“Fuck me like you mean it, Mini,” Jongdae’s voice chokes out.

Minseok sits up and slows down his thrusting, making Jongdae whine and Baekhyun giggles, enjoying the drawn out sex. Minseok runs a hand up Jongdae’s spine until he reaches the back of his neck and just squeezes a tad before sliding his finger into his hair. He grips his hair and pulls just slightly so Jongdae’s back is arched. Minseok pulls out and slides back in and Jongdae lets out a low gravelly moan, sounding completely fucked out. Baekhyun kisses down Jongdae’s cheeks and jaw and settles on his neck, leaving a some red marks as Minseok continues to thrust hard a few more times, pushing Jongdae up the bed, before Minseok lets out a whine and comes in Jongdae.

He releases Jongdae’s head, which relaxes onto Baekhyun’s shoulder. Baek whispers in Jongdae’s ear, his words almost like a lullaby. _You did so great, Dae. You are so great._

Minseok manages to push himself back so he doesn’t land on Jongdae’s back, allowing all parties to catch their breath. He massages Jongdae’s hips with his hands, then runs his fingers lightly down the thighs, eliciting a small giggle from Jongdae. He leans down carefully and kisses Jongdae’s back between his shoulders. He pulls out carefully, Jongdae releasing one last breath before he falls to the side of Baekhyun, curling around him.  

“I love you both so much,” Minseok says as he watches the two sweaty figures pant. Baekhyun stares at him with so much softness that Minseok feels like he could cry. Jongdae turns his head so Minseok can see the loving smile on his face, his hand stretching out to touch any part of Minseok he can, settling on the forearm, tracing little shapes with his fingers on the skin.

 _I love you too_ , Jongdae mouths.

Baekhyun doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to say anything. Minseok and Jongdae both get texts and voice messages every day from Baekhyun reminding them constantly of how much he loves them. Neither of them sure how one being could be filled with so much love and adoration specifically for them, but Baekhyun exists and loves so much that Minseok wants to be better for him. For _them_.

Minseok slides off the bed, legs like jelly as he stumbles through the room and around the discarded shoes and clothes to the bathroom. He nabs a clean washcloth and runs water over it, wringing it out ‘til it’s just damp enough to clean up the come on Baekhyun and Jongdae. He looks in the mirror and catches his own eyes. He can’t remember the last time he looked this happy or healthy.  

Minseok walks back into the bedroom carrying the washcloth in hand, curious about the silence that has filled the room. He stops and stares at the two lumps on the bed and smiles. Jongdae’s arm is thrown around Baekhyun’s waist, pulling Baek’s back towards his chest, their breathing in time with each other so they look like one being. Jongdae’s eyes are closed but he’s awake, nuzzling his nose against the back of Baekhyun’s neck, leaving small kisses as Baekhyun relaxes further into Jongdae’s embrace.

Minseok’s heart swells with love, pacing quietly towards them and settling on his knees next to the bed where he can face them. He reaches out his free hand and places it on Baekhyun’s cheek, brushing his thumb across the soft golden skin that brings a warmth to his skin he hasn’t felt in years. Baekhyun’s eyes flutter open and his lips pull into a sweet smile.

“Are you just gonna stare at us or what?” Baekhyun whispers, as Jongdae’s kisses cease and his breathing mellows out.

Minseok gives out a small laugh under his breath, “I was going to clean you up, Baek. You’re a mess.”

Baekhyun looks down at his body, Jongdae’s hand in front of his belly button. The come has dried, but he doesn’t look uncomfortable, too relaxed on the bed to really even care at this point Minseok assumes. Baekhyun reaches out to Minseok, careful to keep from jostling Jongdae awake. Baekhyun’s fingers run through Minseok’s hair and Minseok pushes into his hand, craving the sensation. Baekhyun’s fingernails are just long enough to give a nice scratch against the scalp that Minseok gets goosebumps and his eyes close, a small purr coming out of his body. He lets his head hang down to give better access, pushing closer and closer towards Baekhyun’s hand. Minseok thinks he could fall asleep like this.

“We’ll clean up later, Min, just join us.” Baekhyun’s hand slides down Minseok’s cheek, thumb catching his lips as he goes to lift Minseok’s face by his chin. Minseok looks up at Baekhyun, taking in how stunning he looks as the traces of moonlight coming through the holes in the curtains light up his soft pink hair. An angel. Both of them. Loud, dramatic angels.

He bites his lower lip and releases it.

“Okay,” he says, before standing up and walking around to the other side of the bed. He leaves the damp washcloth on the floor, just this once ignoring the mess their room is after their festivities. He crawls onto the bed, burrowing himself into Jongdae’s back and hooking his chin on Jongdae’s shoulder where he can kiss Baekhyun’s back. He pulls back and nuzzles his nose against Jongdae’s cheek and neck, before placing a single kiss on Jongdae’s jawline, then resting his head on the pillow next to Jongdae. He hooks his legs through Jongdae’s, tangling them together knowing he’ll wake up with cramps if they stay like this all night, but it’s worth it. His left arm swings over Jongdae towards Baekhyun, searching for Baekhyun’s fingers and intertwining them with his own, feeling Baekhyun give a small squeeze in return. Minseok lets out a breath through his mouth, and relaxes.

Before he drifts into his sleep, Minseok realizes that he has a new favorite moment. And they’re right here next to him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> To My Key: Thank you for giving me this idea, letting me bounce ideas off of you and for inspiring so much of this. This wouldn’t exist without you. 
> 
> To My Soo: Thank you for making me feel like my writing is worth sharing and encouraging me to write more. Your drive to write all the time inspires me. 
> 
> I love you both more than words could ever express. 
> 
> To My Readers: Thank you for taking the time to read through this fic that carved its way into my brain and eventually my heart. Men in Black is one of my favorite movie franchises to ever exist and I tried to incorporate aspects from the 3 movies, though the second movie definitely influenced this plot the most. I hope you enjoyed.


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